A medical imaging system may acquire an image of a subject for diagnosis purposes using transmission, absorption, or reflection of ultrasonic waves, laser light, and X-rays. Such a medical imaging system may comprise an ultrasonic imaging apparatus, a photo-acoustic imaging apparatus, and an X-ray imaging apparatus, for example.
Laser radiation employed by a photo-acoustic imaging system typically has short nanometer-scale wavelengths, and may cause damage to optic nerves of the eyes of any inspector or subject that is directly exposed to the radiation.
Therefore, there is a need for a control system to prevent laser radiation emission except when an inspector or subject is correctly wearing safety glasses or during appropriate use of a photo-acoustic imaging apparatus. A system according to invention principles addresses this need and associated problems.